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Artwork for The Inklings Variety Hour

The Inklings Variety Hour

The Inklings Variety Hour
C.S. Lewis
Till We Have Faces
J.R.R. Tolkien
Narnia
Psyche
Smith Of Wootton Major
Freedom
Aslan
Christianity
Love
The Horse and His Boy
Grief
The Wind In the Willows
Tolkien
Cupid and Psyche
The Fall Of Arthur
Shasta
Creativity
Calarmen Empire
Magic

Welcome to the Inklings Variety Hour, where fans and scholars of C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Charles Williams, Owen Barfield and others discuss their works and lives.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes200Founded6 years ago
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Religion & SpiritualityArtsChristianityBooks

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Artwork for The Inklings Variety Hour

Latest Episodes

Chris talks with Jonathan Geltner and Eric Geddes about Owen Barfield's fairy tale, The Silver Trumpet--which has the distinction of being the first fairy tale written by an Inkling.

Among other things, we discuss:

• Introduction (2:46) — The book,... more

Chris chats with Liz Zenger, program manager of The Inklings Project, which provides resources for professors, teachers, and other groups developing Inklings-related courses.

Also, by way of update, this just in from Liz herself:

This is currently ... more

Dr. Luke Mills joins me to talk about his article "His Dark Materials," as well as C.S. Lewis' nightmare imagery across his fiction. Among other things, we discuss:

• [2:08] – Welcome & guest introduction: Dr. Luke Mills, Associate Professor of Engl... more

Chris talks a bit about his first scholarly book, Monster Relics in Medieval English Literature, and what it has to do with Jimmy Stewart sneaking a Yeti finger past customs.

You can find it here. Be sure to enter the promo code "RELICS20" to get it... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
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Recent Guests

Liz Zenger
Program manager of The Inklings Project; director of Magnify at the McGrath Institute for Church Life
The Inklings Project / McGrath Institute for Church Life
Episode: The Inklings Project
Luke Mills
Associate professor and discussion participant
Wingate University
Episode: The Magician's Nephew, Part 3: Plot Holes, Planted Trees, and Plato
Eric Geddes
Friend of the show, guest on the episode
Guest
Episode: The Magician's Nephew, Part 2: "A Dem Fine Woman, Sir!"
Anika Smith
Original co-host, interviewer for this episode
The Inklings Variety Hour
Episode: Twelve Tide (Pipkin Book) (Rebroadcast)
Leslie Baynes
Associate Professor of New Testament and Second Temple Judaism at Missouri State University
Missouri State University
Episode: Between Interpretation and Imagination: C.S. Lewis and the Bible
Dr. Katherine Wyma
Early Modern Scholar and Associate Professor of English at Anderson University
Anderson University
Episode: C.S. Lewis Ruins the Renaissance (OHEL Intro)
Connor Salter
Contributor focused on Tolkien-related adaptations
Tolkienist Fellowship / Fairy Dust
Episode: First Animated Hobbit
James LaPeyre
Former English teacher, abstractor; host of Christian Humanist Profiles and Interview Podcast
Episode: The Abolition of Man: A Roundtable
Joseph Weigel
Host of Men with Chests and author
Men with Chests
Episode: The Abolition of Man: A Roundtable

Host

Chris Pipkin
Host of The Inklings Variety Hour, steering scholarly and crossover discussions around Inklings works and related topics.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 54 ratings
  • Always Great Podcasts

    Each podcast is entertaining and informative. Hope you are able to continue them.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    JKD II
    United States2 years ago
  • Always something different

    It’s amazing how many different things the Inklings can be connected to. Chris follows them all over the map. I like the new Thursday poetry readings best.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Virginicus
    United States2 years ago
  • Shocking

    I’ve listened to a couple of episodes, the first couple were fine- a bit rambly and lacking in focus but perfectly pleasant listening, but then I put on an episode which was horrific. They had a guest on that kept sprinkling far right conspiracy theory amongst a what was ostensibly a rather dry and uncontroversial defence of the liberal arts and no one challenged it. It was disgusting.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Jim Lockey
    United Kingdom3 years ago
  • Great Variety

    Within the group know as The Inklings, there was a wide variety of characters and ideas. This podcast gets into the entire Inkling corpus, including the bizarre and eccentric. It’s the willingness to explore the entirety of the Inklings that makes this show so great. - Men with Chests

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Joseph Weigel
    United States3 years ago
  • Till we have faces

    You guys have not idea how much I loved listening to the Till we have faces discussion I’m on my third round with some of the podcasts!!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Bamlak_f
    United States4 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Great mix of scholarly insight and accessible conversation.
Posts strong crossover between literature, religion, and history.
Engaging guests and varied topics keep the conversations fresh.
Thoughtful, academic yet approachable discussions for fans of the Inklings.
High-quality analysis that respects source material while inviting new interpretations.

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

C.S. Lewis' Nightmares
Q: Do these dreams suggest demonic influence, or could they be a personal and philosophical exploration of meaning?
The guest suggests a nuanced view: dreams can be demonic or providential, serving as a testing ground for imagination and ethics, and sometimes becoming divine messages or tools for exploring virtue.
C.S. Lewis' Nightmares
Q: How common were these nightmares for Lewis, and how did they influence his writing?
They were quite common and deeply influential, shaping how he portrayed nightmare imagery, the line between fear and spiritual meaning, and the way dreams intersect with time and supernatural belief.
The Abolition of Man: A Roundtable
Q: What is the central moral concern Lewis is raising in The Abolition of Man?
That grounding education in objective moral law is essential; otherwise, education becomes a tool for power over others, dissolving genuine virtue and turning humanity into controllable subjects.
The Magician's Nephew: Biblical and Literary Origins
Q: That's such a neat image... would you rather talk about the creation stories in Genesis, Garden of the Hesperides, or the early part of the book as well if you'd like to do that?
Leslie Baynes responds by outlining how The Magician's Nephew reworks Genesis on the level of sequence and agency, noting that Aslan creates first the stars and then the sun, which reorders creation motifs in a meaningful way and sets up the book's cosmogony.
Between Interpretation and Imagination: C.S. Lewis and the Bible
Q: What is Lewis' classic liar lunatic lord argument and why doesn't it pass muster when compared with Christ's statements in the Gospels?
The argument states Jesus claimed to be God, which would make him either a liar or a lunatic if false, thus disqualifying the idea that he was merely a great moral teacher; the nuance lies in how the Gospels portray Jesus, especially in Synoptic Gospels where he does not explicitly call himself God, contrasting with John's portrayal which is closer to that claim.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Inklings Variety Hour

What is The Inklings Variety Hour about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Scholarly yet accessible discussions around The Inklings and their wider circle, with episodes that pair rigorous literary analysis with cross-disciplinary perspectives. Listeners can expect deep dives into CS Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and related figures, exploring literary origins, biblical intertexts, and adaptations, often weaving in historical context and teaching insights. The show stands out for its blend of academic rigor, casual book-club-style conversation, and occasional promotional segments for related books and projects, making it a strong fit for listeners who relish thoughtful analysis, behind-the-scenes authorial context, and connections across literature, religion, and medieval-to-Renaissance thought.

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Which podcasts are similar to The Inklings Variety Hour?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Inklings Variety Hour:

1. The Literary Life Podcast
2. The Habit
3. Trinity Forum Conversations
4. Socrates in the City
5. The Lord of Spirits

How many episodes of The Inklings Variety Hour are there?

The Inklings Variety Hour launched 6 years ago and published 200 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on The Inklings Variety Hour?

Recent guests on The Inklings Variety Hour include:

1. Liz Zenger
2. Luke Mills
3. Eric Geddes
4. Anika Smith
5. Leslie Baynes
6. Dr. Katherine Wyma
7. Connor Salter
8. James LaPeyre

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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